Comelec preparing for barangay, SK elections

There is no definite schedule yet but the provincial Comelec is prepared once schedule is set.

The Commission on Election (Comelec) provincial office said it is continuing its preparations for the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections slated on October 23 unless a pending measure at the House of Representatives seeking its postponement is approved.

Jomel Ordas, spokesperson of the Office of the Provincial Election Supervisor, said they still continue with the preparatory activities, including purchasing of election materials, printing official ballots and preparing ballot boxes.

“We will only stop the preparatory activities and cancel the election once the house bill is officially signed into law. We are strictly following all of the activities indicated in our calendar and timeline, and definitely we’re ready to conduct such election,” Ordas told Palawan News.

On Wednesday, the House of Representative approved the measure on second reading which aims to synchronized the polls to May 2018.

Despite its possible postponement, they recently announced the schedule of filing of certificate of candidacies for the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections.

In a press release on Wednesday, Comelec spokesperson James Arthur Jimenez said the COC filing will be on September 23 to 30. It will be done at the office of the election officer of the city, municipality or district where aspirants seek to be elected.

The campaign period will run from October 13 to 21.

According to Jimenez, the election period for Barangay and SK polls is set from September 23 until October 30.

During such time, it is prohibited to carry firearms and other deadly weapons, use of security personnel or body guards by candidates, transfer or detail of officers and employees in the civil service including public school teachers, and suspend any elective public officer.